Rishabh Pant Overtakes Dhoni as India's Leading Wicketkeeper Run-Scorer Away From Home

Rishabh Pant made a stirring return from injury on day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, scoring a fluent 63 off 89 balls to go past MS Dhoni's tally and become India's leading run-scorer among wicketkeepers in away and neutral Tests.

Pant had retired hurt on the first day after being struck on the wrist by a Lahiru Kumara bouncer, having managed just 3 off 15 balls at the time. He returned to the crease after debutant Saransh Jain was dismissed early on day two, and picked up right where he left off, striking two sixes and six fours before eventually falling caught at long-off off Keshara Nuwantha, having added 112 with Dhruv Jurel in a stand that formed the backbone of India's morning session.

The knock, his 21st Test half-century and a second successive one after his fifty in the second innings at Galle, took him to 2,534 runs as a wicketkeeper in away or neutral Tests, moving him past Dhoni's tally of 2,496 and also past former South Africa gloveman Mark Boucher's 2,514. Farokh Engineer (1,209) and Syed Kirmani (1,109) round out the top Indian names on the list, both well over 1,300 runs behind Pant's new benchmark. Among all wicketkeepers globally in this category, Pant now sits third, behind former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (2,696) and Australia great Adam Gilchrist (2,634).

The innings also pushed Pant to 2,948 runs in World Test Championship history, leaving him just 52 shy of becoming the first Indian to reach 3,000 WTC runs. With India well placed in Colombo and Pant back among the runs after a scare with the wrist injury, the milestone adds another significant chapter to a Test career that continues to be defined by fearless strokeplay under pressure.